Wrist watch and bracelet



April 1, 1952 B. LAZRUS WRIST WATCH AND BRACELET Filed Oct. 25, 1946 INVENTOR EEM/A/V/A 42k: BY

ATTORNEY5 Patented Apr. 1, 1952 I WRIST WATCH AND BRACELET Benjamin Lazrus, New York, N. Y., assignor to Benrus Watch Company, 1110., New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application October 25, 1946, Serial No. 705,738

7 Claims.

This invention relates to wrist watches, and more particularly to bracelets combined with such watches.

The primary object of the invention is to generally improve Wrist watches and bracelets, particularly those intended for wear by women.

A ladys wrist watch bracelet may be given an attractive, delicate, slenderized appearance by using a folded cord for the bracelet. However, it is diflicult to securely attach such bracelets to the watch case in a readily detachable manner, and that in turn is desirable in order to replace the bracelet when worn. One object of the present invention is to overcome this diificulty, and to provide a cord-type bracelet which has all of the appearance and strength of being permanently attached to the wrist watch, and yet which is readily replaceable. A further object of the invention is to minimize wear of the folded or looped cord.

To accomplish the foregoing general objects, and other more specific objects which will hereinafter appear, my invention resides in the Wrist watch case and cord-type bracelet elements, and their relation one to the other, as are hereinafter more particularly described in the following specification. The specification is accompanied by a drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of one form of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary section taken approximately in the plane of the line 2-2 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 3 is a bottom view showing the relation of the parts at one stage in the assembly of the loop and the watch case;

Fig. 4 is a section taken approximately in the plane of the line 44 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 5 is a bottom view showing another stage in the assembly of the parts of the invention; and

Fig. 6 is a similar view but showing a final stage in the assembly.

Referring to the drawing, and more particularly to Fig. l, the invention comprises a wrist watch case [2 having rigid bails or lugs l4 through which loops l6 of round cord are simulatedly threaded. The cord may be woven or knit of textile thread, or may be made of any other material which is similar in being relatively soft and compressible. The loops i6 extend to any suitable fastener means. This may be an expansion clasp of the folding toggle type (not shown), or a fully releasable clasp or fastener, and in the particular example here illustrated, the fastener means includes simply a strap 18 and a buckle 20 to receive the same.

In accordance with the invention, the open ends 22 of the loops may be permanently stitched to the fastener means I8, 20 during manufacture of the bracelet, and the bracelet may subsequently be secured to the watch. This is desirable not only for initial manufacture and sale, but also to facilitate replacement of the bracelet should the cord become frayed or worn, or should it be desired to change bracelet color.

Referring now to Fig. 2, it will be seen that each bail M has a hole 24 passing therethrough, and that the bail is additionally slotted at the bottom for access to the hole. The slot is substantially smaller in width than the diameter of the hole 2-1, but because of the soft, compressible nature of the cord, it may be flattened, as shown at 2'5, and thus forced through the slot and into the hole 24.

Referring now to Fig. 3, the loop l8 preferably includes a rigid bushing 39 at its mid-point, said bushing having a diameter substantially the same as the hole through the bail M. The loop is also preferably provided with a slide ring 32, which is preferably flattened in shape, rather than truly circular. in order to better fit around and slide upon the double-corded loop.

To assemble the bracelet and watch, the slide ring 32 is preliminarily moved away from the bushing 30, as shown in Fig. 3. A side portion of the loop, anywhere between bushing 30 and ring 32, is then forced through the slot of the bail M, as shown in Fig. 2. following which the cord expands, as shown in Fig. 3. The cord is next slid axially through the bail 14 to move the bushing 36 toward and into the hail, the parts then assuming the relation shown in Figs. 4 and 5. The slide ring 32 is thereupon slid alon the loop as far as possible toward the bail M, the parts then beingrelated as shown in Fig. 6. It will be evident that because of the slide ring 32, the cord cannot move axially through the bail l4, and consequently the bushing 30 is held against axial movement. This in turn safely guards against any possibility of escape of the loop from the bail, for the bushing is rigid and has a diameter substantially equal to the hole through the bail; which in turn is substantially larger than the dimension across the slot.

It will be understood that the same procedure is followed with the loop on the other side. It will also be understood that all of the figures of the drawing, except Fig. 1, show the bottom of the watch and bracelet, thus exposing the slot through the bail, and also the abutting ends of the slide ring 32. When the watch is viewed from the top, as shown in Fig. l, or as the watch is worn when in use, the loops of cord are simulatedly threaded through solid bails.

The bushings 39 may be made of metal bent around the cord, or may be made of short lengths of metal tubing slid forcibly along the cord to desirable location. However, it is not essential that the bushings be made of metal, and if de-- sired, they may be made of a plastic, in which case they may even be molded directly around and embedded into the interstices of the cord during the molding operation. The bushing has an additional advantage in that it helps prevent rapid wear at the fold of the cord. The main requirement for the bushing is that it be not readily compressible or subject to a flattening deformation such as would make it possible to remove the loop through the slot in the bail.

Instead, when it is desired to remove the loop from the ball, the slide ring 32 is preliminarily moved away from the bail, and the loop is moved axially until the bushing is out of the bail, whereupon the soft material of the cord is compressed or flattened as it is pulled through the slot. It will be understood that the slide rings 32 lit the cords tightly, and will not slide along the cords by themselves.

It is believed that the method of constructing and assembling the wrist watch and bracelet combination of my invention, as Well as the advantages thereof, will be apparent from the foregoing detailed description. The assembly has the same attractive, expensive appearance, and the same strength, as though the cord were threaded through solid bails before being stitched or otherwise secured to the fastener means of the bracelet. Yet the bracelet is readily attached to, or detached from the watch, for replacement because of wear or for other cause. The rigid bushing at the center of the loop not only prevents accidental escape of the loop from the bail, but minimizes wear which would otherwise becausedby the action of the bail on the cord.

It will be apparent that while I have shown and described my invention in a preferred form, changes may be made in the structure disclosed, without departing from the spirit of the invention as sought to be defined in the following claims.

I claim:

. l. In'combination, a wrist-watch case, a bail onsaid case, said bail having a hole passing therethrough with a slot leading to said hole at the bottom of the ball, a bracelet including a loop'of cord or similarly compressible material adapted to be pressed through the aforesaid slot into the hole, and a rigid bushing on the loop received in the hole of the bail and having :a diameter substantially the same as that of the hole and substantially larger than the width of the slot.

' 2. In combination, a wrist-watch case, a bail on said case, said bail having a hole passing therethrough with a slot leading to said hole, a bracelet including a loop of cord or similarly compressible material adapted to be pressed through the aforesaid slotinto thehole, a rigid bushing on the loop received in. the hole of the bailand having a dimension substantially the same as that of the hole and substantially larger than the width of the slot, and a slide ring onthe loop disposed next to the bail and preventing axial movement of the bushing out of the bail.

v '3. In combination, a wrist-watch case, a bail on said case, said bail having a round hole passing horizontally therethrough with a slot leading to said hole at the bottom of the bail, a bracelet including a loop of cord or similarly soft compressible material adapted to be pressed through the aforesaid slot into the hole, a rigid cylindrical metal bushing on the loop received in the hole of the bail and having a diameter substantially the same as that of the hole and substantially larger than the width of the slot, and a slide ring on the loop disposed next to the bail for preventing axial movement of the bushing out of the ball.

4. In combination, a wrist-watch case having bails at opposite ends thereof, each of said bails having a hole passing therethrough and being slotted on bottom to provide a passage into the hole, a bracelet including a fastener means, a loop of cord or similarly soft material connecting said means to one of the balls, a loop of cord or similarly soft material for connecting said means to the other hail, the material of said loops being adapted to be pressed through said slots into said holes, each oi said loops having a rigid bushing received in a respective bail, said bushings having a diameter substantially the same as that of the holes and substantially larger than the width of the slots.

5. In combination, a Wrist-Watch case having bails at opposite ends thereof, each of said bails having a hole passing therethrough and being slotted to provide a passage into the hole, a bracelet including fastener means, a loop of cord or similarly soft material connecting said means to one of the bails, a loop of cord or similarly soft material for connecting said means to the other bail, the material of said loops being adapted to be pressed through said slots into said holes, each of said loops having a rigid bushing received in; a respective bail, said bushings having a dimension substantially the same as that of the holes and substantially larger than the Width of the slots, and slide rings on said loops adjacent said bails for preventing axial movement. of the bushings out of the bails.

6. In combination, a wrist'watch case having bails at opposite ends thereof, each of said bails having a hole passing horizontally therethrough and being slotted on bottom to provide a passage into the hole, a bracelet including a strap, a loop of cord or similarly soft material connecting the strap to one of the bails, a buckle for receivin the strap, a loop of cord or similarly soft material for connecting the buckle to the other bail, the material of said loops being adapted to be pressed through said slots into said holes, each of said loops having a rigid cylindrical metal bushing at the midpoint thereof received in a re- I spective bail, said bushings having a diameter substantially the same as that of the holes and substantially larger than the width of the slots, and slide rings on said loops adjacent said bails for preventing axial movement of the bushings out of the bails.

'7. In combination, a wrist-watch case, a onepiece solid metal bail on said case, said bail having a hole passing therethrough with a slot leading to said hole at the bottom of the bail. said slot extending in axial direction and having a transverse width substantially less than the diameter of the hole, a bracelet including a loop of cord or similarly compressible material having athickness greater than the width of the slot but adapted to be squeezed to flattened condition and pressed edgewise while in flattened condition through the aforesaid slot into the hole, and a rigid bushing on the loop received in the hole of the bail and having a diameter substantially the same as that of the hole and substantially larger than the width of the slot, and a slide ring on the loop disposed next to the bail and preventing axial movement of the cord relative to the bail.

BENJAMIN LAZRUS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

8 UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Brecht et a1. Oct. 15', 1929 Mealy Mar. 18, 1930 Schmitz June 20, 1939 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Switzerland June 16, 1939 Great Britain Feb. 3. 1938 

